Mini Implants: How Long for Stability and Crown Placement?

Dear Editors, You have altered my question too much. I wish to know how long to wait AFTER the extraction before I can place the mini?? I dont think an immediate can work . The socket diameter is larger than rhe 3mm. Cheers Geoffrey

DR. G If the socket diameter is wider than the mini, then you have two options: 1- Wait until the socket has enough bone fill to place the mini in 3 to four months (grafting the socket would be advisable), or 2- Use a larger diameter implant in the immediate extraction socket. You don't have to fill the socket with the implant, just have the implant threads grab in the apical third of the socket and past the apex about three millimeters to obtain adequate stabilization for the implant. Whether you choose to immediately temporize or not is your choice, but it is a nice option for emergence and papilla maintenance. Good luck.

In this case you have two options: 1- DO immediat dental implant if you have 4 important things: primary stability ( mean atleast 4mm drilling beyond the extracted tooth apex), atrumatic extraction, single rooted tooth & primary closur of the wound. 2- Delay implant and you want to wait 2-6 months according to bone quantity & quality.

Dr. G. Whether you graft or do not graft the extraction site, please know that you should wait a "minimum" of 6 months, and possibly 9 months, before you consider placing a small diameter implant at that site. Under normal circumstances, and even at an edentulous site, as well, maxillary "bone quality" is always suspect and unpredictable. Also, plan on using a small diameter implant designed for the maxilla, with larger threads. Tne Imtec/3M 2.4mm square-head or 2.9mm Hybrid with prepared taperd prosthetic head,would be excellent choices. Remember, success in Implant Dentistry is predicated on strictly following "protocol" for surgery and prosthetics.

Dear Dr. G You have to remember a very important stadistic, and this is that the area where implants are most commonly lost are the upper laterals. It is unpredictable to place an immediate mini implant in that specific area. I agree with Dr. Fuhr, whether you graft or not, you have to strictly follow protocol, and wait enough time to bone growth and then place your implant. In my experience, I have seen that mini and regular implants are osseointegrated at hte same time. Good luck

I normally wait 5 months after an extraction to place the mini implant. That is with or without doing a socket preservation. Best regards.

In my experience I have done it both ways.If you can get 60-70% of the threads into solid bone then I would immediately place the mini. What I do in this case is place the mini then place some bone graft material in the rest of the site and then some type of collagen barrier ( I use collaplugs by Salvin dental) but with the abutment head exposed if you can get some primary closure with suture do so, and then place a temp which must be out of occlusion. I have done this in anterior teeth with some good success. If you want to wait I would suggest 4 months minimum. Good Luck

Don't base implant diameter and platform on the patients wallet diameter. Any mini larger than 1.8mm will cost more, and "copy" implants 3.5mm are not much more in cost. With the "copy" you can use stock or custom abutments and labs will have a package price so you know your costs before you quote a fee. It's better than the tooth on a toothpick design with a mini, and yes in a very narrow space I've done that too.